Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-10-01
THE FIRST KATYDIDS.

dlSputlng IN lively manner down III the
corn field by the brook Their rasping
notes were borne up to the kitchen window
and through it out to the back stoop,
where the Old Settler was smoking his
pipe after supper, and little Peleg, his
grandson was nibbling a ginger snap he
had carried from the table when his grand
mothers back was turned
What is it them bugs is hollering,
grandpop?' asked Peleg, shaking a small
shower of crumbs over the floor of the
stoop.
Them hain't bugs, Peleg," replied the
Old Settler, IAN consekently they hain't
hollerin'; but | know what a boy bout your
SHE'LL be hollerin' wen his gran'mammv
sees them crumbs-aA' that'll be Boo-h-o-
o-o-op an 'Outch p an Boo-h-o-o-o-o ?
ag'in, in a voice melogeouser thin boot
owl, an twice as penetratin'"
" Amt they bugs, grandpop?" said
Peleg, with his mind still on the katydids,
and making swoop at the cake crumbs
with his foot, as if to brush them away,
but lastering them fat and pasty on the
floor instead.
NO, they hain't bugs replied Peleg's
grandfather. "They'm insecs, Peleg.
They'm a night singin', chaw-up- corn
blades sort o grasshopper. Them grcener
thin them apples th't you an Bill Sim
mons sneaked out'n OF Banty Rouzer's or
child t'other day, an witch if we do it agin
it wun't be me ell set up all night
b'gosh an plug hotdrops inter We. An
they've got voice, them insec's has. like a
wheelbar that hain't been creased sence a
year ago last Fourth o July; an " at they
MARBLES, gol durn 'em, is 'Frost-in-six-
weeks. Frost-in-siX-weeksr An that's
jist agointer ketch some o my late garden
truck right betwixt wind am water an
knock 1t ez wurthlcss ez coon meat Frost
in six weeks If | had the maxim o.
katydidS, I'd fetch EN- along bout Decem-
Der 18th, b'gosh, an then they could call
for frost in six weeks, or frost in three
days, or frost in twenty-six minutes, list ez
they blame pleased, and be burned to
'emr'
SO them is katydids, hay?" said Peleg.
Oh, then | know what it is they're hol-
lering. Ka-ty-didr says one of 'em.
Then another jaws back and says, Katy
didn't Then one over somewhere else
hollers ont, -ty-broke-the-bottle.'
"Jee-whizz, Pelegw exclaimed the Old
Settler, taking his pipe out of his mouth
and looking around him with much con-
Germ. Did she, though? Broke it, hav {?
Who was Katy, Peleg? And w'at'd she
break the bottle fur? | hope th't want
nothin' in it that'd a ben handy to her
around in case Of collie or snake bites. was
tn, Peleg ?"
Peleg could give his grandfather no in
formation on these points, much to the old
gentleman's disappointment The mysteri-
Gus hatys unaccountable breakage of
glassware seemed to worry the Old Settler.
for he muttered several times, as if in
troubled thought: Broke the bottle, did
she? | wonder if tn were anything split
tht'd a tasted good to me- By and by
he knocked the ashes out Of his pipe, and.
rising from his chair, peered in at the
kitchen door, and looked out around the
yard.
Do We see anything o yer granmammy,
Peieg ?" he asked.
She's gone to Miss Ketchum's to Dor
row some emptyin's to set bread with, said
Peleg.
" If sh'd happen to come in fore l git
back, Peleg,' he said, tell her I've
stepped down to the Postofiice, will We,
sonny"
Peleg said he would, and the Old Settler
went away as if he were in hurry. Some
how or other he forgot that he was going
to the Postotfice, and took the road that
led to the tavern. The Squire and one or
two of the boys were there when he en-
tered
" Good evenin', Major" said the Squire.
The Old Settler glanced with some
anxiety back Of the bar. Whether or not
he had his fears that Katy had been run
. ming amuck among certain glassware there
his glance seemed TO ease his mind Every
bottle was in its place intact, and the Old
Settler sat down, plainly relieved.
sd eveuin'," he said, distributing \
bland smile equally between the bows and
the Squire. thort th't mebby / mowt
run agin 4 candidate or two over here
f-night, an l says to Mriar list afore I left
ham th't L guessed Td drop over an see
wat the prospects was for Shurf, an she
says she wisht / would ez she's kinder
anxious bout the state o the kentry her
self Been any candidates in lateIv?"
Three left here not more'n five minutes
ago." said the Squire; two on 'em for
Shurf an one on EN- fur Judge. But ez
thur three more candidates fur Shurf and
three fur Judge due yet, we didn't none on
Us commit 'urselfs, though don't think /
eyer see inducements flyin' round so fast
an 50 NUMEROUS. | got seven on EN- nv
self, an ev'ry one on 'em had b;tters an
sugar in it. Major, its little bit enusual